Lonzo Ball vs. Billy Ray Bates Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Billy Ray Bates and Lonzo Ball, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Lonzo Ball played 5 years in the NBA, 1 more than Billy Ray Bates, who played 4. Lonzo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Billy Ray Bates had his rookie season in 1979-80. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Lonzo Ball 5 0 2017-18 to 2021-22
Billy Ray Bates 4 2 1979-80 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5

Rookie Season

Lonzo Ball Billy Ray Bates
Season 2017-181979-80
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball 52 34.2 10.2 1.3 5.6 6.9 7.2 1.7 0.8 2.6 2.3 3.9 10.8 .360 1.7 5.7 .305 0.6 1.4 .451
Billy Ray Bates 16 14.7 11.3 0.8 1.0 1.8 1.9 0.9 0.1 1.3 1.6 4.5 9.1 .493 0.5 1.2 .421 1.8 2.4 .718
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Billy Ray Bates 3 34.7 25.0 0.7 2.7 3.3 4.0 1.7 0.3 5.0 4.3 10.3 19.7 .525 0.7 2.3 .286 3.7 4.7 .786

Season 2

Lonzo Ball Billy Ray Bates
Season 2018-191980-81
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball 47 30.3 9.9 1.1 4.2 5.3 5.4 1.5 0.4 2.2 2.4 3.9 9.7 .406 1.6 4.9 .329 0.4 1.0 .417
Billy Ray Bates 77 20.3 13.8 0.9 1.1 2.0 2.5 1.1 0.1 1.9 1.6 5.7 11.7 .487 0.2 0.7 .259 2.2 2.6 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Billy Ray Bates 3 38.3 28.3 1.0 1.3 2.3 4.3 1.7 0.3 3.7 3.7 11.7 20.7 .565 0.3 0.3 1.000 4.7 5.7 .824

Season 3

Lonzo Ball Billy Ray Bates
Season 2019-201981-82
Team New Orleans PelicansPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball 63 32.1 11.8 1.1 5.0 6.1 7.0 1.4 0.6 3.1 2.0 4.4 10.9 .403 2.3 6.3 .375 0.7 1.2 .566
Billy Ray Bates 75 16.4 11.1 0.7 0.7 1.4 1.5 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.3 4.4 9.2 .473 0.2 0.5 .293 2.2 2.8 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Billy Ray Bates ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Lonzo Ball Billy Ray Bates
Season 2020-211982-83
Team New Orleans PelicansWashington Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball 55 31.8 14.6 0.6 4.2 4.8 5.7 1.5 0.6 2.2 1.9 5.3 12.7 .414 3.1 8.3 .378 0.9 1.2 .781
Billy Ray Bates 19 16.0 6.5 0.6 0.4 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.2 0.6 1.0 2.9 7.6 .379 0.1 0.3 .400 0.6 1.2 .500
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Billy Ray Bates ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Lonzo Ball Billy Ray Bates
Season 2021-22-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball 35 34.6 13.0 1.0 4.4 5.4 5.1 1.8 0.9 2.3 2.4 4.6 10.9 .423 3.1 7.4 .423 0.6 0.8 .750
Billy Ray Bates ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Billy Ray Bates ------- --- ----------